Emilio Ruiz Barrachina presents 'Berrocal: El arte de desmontar el cuerpo' at the Festival de Málaga
The documentary, not yet released, highlights the legacy of the Andalusian and internationally renowned sculptor
The 29th Festival de Málaga, organised by Malaga City Council through Malaga Procultura, has hosted the presentation of a previously unreleased documentary exploring the life and legacy of the Andalusian sculptor Miguel Berrocal, an artist who transformed the human body into a detachable artistic mechanism, fusing art, engineering, and thought to reveal the soul hidden within matter.
'Berrocal: el arte de desmontar el cuerpo' (Berrocal: the art of dismantling the body) was presented in the Rossini hall of the Cervantes Theatre. Its director, Emilio Ruiz Barrachina, explained that his aim was to make a documentary that is both informative and profound. Thus, it offers an artistic and biographical perspective, beginning with Berrocal's childhood in Villanueva de Algaidas (Málaga), featuring previously unseen archival footage, interviews with his family and experts; all of this is presented through the lens of how he transformed the human body into a detachable architecture. His pieces, conceived as perfect gears, invite viewers to discover the internal logic of form and to actively participate in the artistic experience. The documentary reflects on matter, thought and the creative act.
"We had a lot of Berrocal's material recorded with the technology of the time; the biggest challenge has been its restoration. In the images you can see him sculpting and observing his creative process. There is a lot of previously unseen and interesting material,” confirmed Ruiz Barrachina.
The production has the support and participation of Malaga City Council, with Mayor Francisco de la Torre appearing in the documentary, as well as the Department of Culture of Malaga Provincial Council, with the presence of the councillor for culture Manuel López Maestranza, who emphasised: “Málaga owes a great deal to Berrocal, a figure whose legacy has faded with time. I felt I had that debt to Málaga and to the sculptor.” He added that the cultural department's intention is to bring Miguel Berrocal back into the national spotlight.
"There are great sculptors in Málaga, but Berrocal's idea was to create a sculpture center and a space where new generations could learn about the different types and techniques," stated Cristina Blais y Sajonia-Coburgo-Braganza, president of the Berrocal Sculptor Foundation for the Arts and the artist's wife.
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